History of Satellites - 1980s to 2000s

Following on from our Early History of Satellites infographic earlier this year, we thought it time to take a look at some of the more recent satellites sent into orbit.

Known as ‘the shuttle era’, the 1980s saw a number of firsts, with the launch of Sweden’s first satellite, the first privately owned international telecommunications satellite and the first satellite to be operated by the Société Européenne des Satellites. The following decade was the first to see Portuguese and Chilean satellites and brought about Asiasat-1, a satellite providing telecommunications services to an area housing half of the world’s population. Years of technological advances meant that a range of weather, communications, and miniaturized satellites, to name a few, were launched during the 90s. Improvement to everyday life brought about by satellites can be seen through the likes of Nilesat, which delivered over 100 digital TV channels to more than 5 million homes across North Africa.

Some 50 years since the start of the space race and developments in satellite technology and launches show no signs of slowing down. The 2000s have already seen their fair share of firsts, with the launches of the first domestically made Iranian satellite, as well as the first Vietnamese, Colombian, Nigerian and Algerian satellites. In 2010, Euroconsult revealed that it estimated that over the course of the next ten years 1,220 satellites would be built for launch. So, stay tuned for the next instalment!